The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-08
SCIENCE IN FRUIT-RAISING
Distinguished Horticulturists Attend
ing the Indiana Society's Meeting.
Interesting Discussions on Questions Relat-
ing to the Growth of Fruits-ElectiOn
of Officers for Next Year.


large. notwithstanding the unpleasant weather
There are number of distinguished horticult-
wrists and botanical scientists in attendance.
Prof. T. ]. Burrill. of the Illinois Industrial
University, at Champaign. H., is man who
appears the ideal philosopher, except that his
beard and hair are black His forehead is high,
his head bald on top, his beard full Prof. D. o.
Arthur, of Purdue, is man who looks young
for his reputation. He wears a heavy black
mustache. with small imperial and abbreviat-
ed side whiskers He was formerly connected
with the New York experimental station d.
E. Van Deman. the United States pomologist. is
a middle-aged man, strong. line looking man,
with black hair, mustache and chin whiskers he
is Kansas man and has been well known in
genealogical work for number of years.
President j. NJ. Smith, of the Wisconsin
Society, is past middle age. with
pleasant, intelligent face. His hair and beard
are quite gray He conducts one of the most
productive fruit farms in the country. at Green
Bay and looks more like a bank president than
fruit farmer. not that he would be suspected
of having any designs on Canada but from his
wel-kept appearance and dgnlhed bearing
Nicholas Dinner, ex-president of the Ohio
Horticultural Society. is a rather small, wiry
man. past middle age. His hair and full beard
are deeply tinged with gray. but his activity
has evidently not been impaired by age. de
a I'D his brother Geor &c are widely known as the
proprietors of a number of railroad restaurants,
incll ding ar the Union Depotln TINS city.
He resides Dayton, O on his splendlc irult
farm of 104 acres, where he has SIX or seven
thousand fruit trees. in addition to great deal
of small fruit
Prof R. Fl. Warder. of North Bend, O., was
to have presented a paper on Forestry" but as
he absent the society took up the hrst nour
OF the session in revising the fruit list.
Prof. j. c. Arthur, OF Purdue. was then intro,
duced, and read paper on fnneicioes anu
Their Application" He said that until lately
sulphur had been the common substance used
for killing all sorts of fungi. but 1t was not de-
structive to all of them. 1t is beneficial Only
for surface midews. and not all of them - Is
used chiefly in this region IN lighthouses The
best method Of using it is to paint the hot-air
pipes with mixture of sulphur and lnseed-oil.
The evaporated sulphurous acid gas destroys the
fungi. Sulphate OF copper is a valuable fungi
eide. A solution of one pound In twenty gallons
of water, sprinkled on the plants will be found
reputation but it is probably not SO good as
sulphate of copper. Hyposuphlte OF soda, In
solution of less than one pound to ten gallons o,
water, is beneficial for the fungi OF apple and
pear trees. SElphide of potassium, in solution
Of quarter of an ounce to q gallon of water,
has been found useful for several fruits
Hon. w. Fl. Ragau paid a high compliment 70
the work of Professor Arthur in this line. Pro
lessor Burrill added that more attention should
be paid to fungi. rs much fruit might be saved
Z by doing. This was especially true as TO
bagging grapes. Professor Van Deman urged
the importance of bagging grapes a. as early
stage possible.
By request J. M. Smith, of Wisconsin, read
brief paper on the advsability of horticulture
/ by farmers generally. He traced the history OF
two ideal families, one Of which farmed without
fruit and the other with fruit. The pictures
very cleverly drawn, and. of course,
showed health, happiness and prosperity to the
fruit family, with discomfort. despair and final
abandonment of farm life by the children of the
farmer without fruit It was received with
much applause and unanimous vote OF
thanks.
AT the afternoon session the first paper heard
was Prof. F. NJ. Webster's Parasites and
Insecticides" He said that the immense army
OF parasites stand ns bulwark between the
horticulturist and his insect foes. The most
destructive insects those of foreign origin
which have probably been brought here without
bringing their parasites with them. These
parasites feed on the bodies of insects and
cause their death. There two classes Of
them. The first lay their eggs in the
bodies oe the victims. The second catch
and devour them The principal ones of the
first class the ichneumon flies, egg parasites.
and chalcidida. The second includes long
list of different families. Here Professor Web
ster described large number of these parasitic
insects, and made mention of their habits. The
most popular insecticides of an arseDical
nature and are applied either in solu-
ton or in powder. The most popular
poisons are paris green, London pur,
pie and white .arseric. When applied
in powder it is better to mix with flour. as the
dew causes it to adhere to the plant. Paris
green il applied in powder. should be mixed,
pound with forty pounds of flour. In solu-
tion pound to eighty to hundred gal
Ions of water should be used. The plants should
be sprinkled only. not drenched. Londo n purple
and white arsenic should be used similarly, but
only about half as strong. These poisons should
not be used on plants the foliage of which is
used for food, fruit which is approaching
full growth. Kerosene emulsions. white helle-
bore. whale-oil soap. lime and sulphur are also
beneficial especially against squash bugs
chinch- bugs and some others which poisons will
not kill.
mended the election of j. NJ. Smith, of Wiscon-
sin: Fl. E. Van Deman, of Washington, d. c.;
Prof. T. j. Burr of Illinois, and n. Dinner.
of Ohio as honorary members, which was
adopted.
B. c. Hobbs addressed the society on the i'm
portance of cutivating flowers well as fruits
and vegetables. He urged especially the Guilt
walton of native plants. After considerable mis-
cellaneous talk by various members, the election
of officers was taken mp. It resulted follows:
President-Dr. Allen Furnas, of Danville.
Secretary-C NJ. Hobbs, of Bridgeport
Ireasurer5Daniel Cox, Of Cartersburg
Viee-presidents-W A Workman, of Greencastle;
G. W. Mcintosh of Rego; DR.. Cornett of Madison;
J. c. Stevens, of Richmond: G. w Grant, of Pulaski
sns Ss Rsean of
tie; E. Y. Teas, of Dunreith, and Prof j. Troop, OF
Lafayette.
After the installation of the officers W. III.
Raglan was introduced and read paper on
Neglected American Fruits" He sketched
the history of fruit-growing from the early days
when the only cultivated fruits were of Euro
pean origin, down to the present. The Ameri-
can crab-apple. the paw paw, the persimmon,
the service berry, the h1ckleberry, and the
mulberry were mentioned native fruits which
would almost certainly repay cultivation. In
addition to its fruit ne said the mulberry
valuable for its wood and gave instance
of its durability the fact that the famed 'scatal
pa posts" of which General Harrison made the
stockade at Vincennes. we're really mulberry.
The evening session was opened with Prof
John nj. Coulter's paper on 'Fertil!zatlon or
Plants" He said that the subject, although
probably Of no direct practical Importance to the
horticulturist should be very interesting, as it
has to do with those changes in the ripening of
fruits which of vital interest to him. few
years ago the subject of fertilization was treated
in a most hazy way because the facts were not
known. Observations had to be made upon OBJ
jects either OPAQUE. so transparent that no
form was discoverable. The last few years have
brought reagents which render The Opaque trans
parent and which color the invisible parts and
bring them out to view distinctly colored